Deadly Focus by RC Bridgestock

Book Description

A schoolgirl vanishes; everyone becomes a suspect. Murder is chilling and full of mystery; nobody’s child is safe. It is the ultimate and relentless test for the man in charge of the enquiry and his team but the killer is one step ahead and another body is found. Will it prove too much as both Dylan’s health and private life begins to suffer?
DI Dylan is under the microscope and struggles to find a balance between his passion for his job and his love for his partner Jen.
Will he be able to maintain the impetus to bring the perpetrator to justice and secure justice for the victims’ families?

Deadly Focus is the first of a series introducing the reader to DI Jack Dylan. I’ve certainly got a lot of catching up to do, as I believe there is already six books in this series. Dylan is a senior investigating officer tasked with hunting down Daisy’s Hinds killer. Nine year old Daisy was last seen coming home from her grandmother’s house. Somewhere in the last hundred yards, after she turned the corner to her street, she disappeared.

If I’m honest I always find books around children being murdered an uncomfortable and upsetting read, and Deadly Focus was no different, although in the authors defence they handle it with sensitivity and understanding. DI Jack Dylan has all the makings of an excellent serial detective, he appears hard on the exterior, driven but compassionate to the victims and family of hideous crimes,
I did have one small issue and that was Jack Dylan’s relationship with his girlfriend Jen, after a while it began to grate to on me, but this is no way distracted from an excellent read. It was also interesting to see as the investigation intensified the detrimental effect it had on jacks health and his personal life, as he pushed himself to the limits trying to solve the case.

The police procedures were very detailed, and added a very authentic feel to the plot, in fact the authors give a fascinating insight into what comes after the crime, the forensics, the collecting of information, clues and tactics which made for a very credible and compelling read. At times I felt I was there with the investigation team, and feeling their frustration and anger as they tried to first find a killer and then build a case against them. Also the camaraderie and authentic banter between the police team added some light relief to what could have been a depressing read

At times I found Deadly Focus chilling to say the least, this was mostly due to the scenes involving the murdered children, but despite this it was a gripping read, and very well plotted. I wouldn’t consider it to be a fast paced book, as this is a story that builds on the police investigation, so the strands mesh together over time, (as you would expect in a true life murder investigation). Deadly Focus is a promising start to the series, and I will certainly be reading the rest of the books in this series, to see how DI Jack Dylan evolves. If you love a crime thriller that focuses more on the police procedures side then I would definitely recommend this book.

RC Bridgestock is a co-author team between husband and wife Robert (Bob) & Carol Bridgestock.

4 ☕️☕️☕️☕️ out of 5

Print Length: 244 pages

Publisher: Caffeine Nights Publishing; 1 edition (2 May 2011)

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